Page 49 of Judgment Day

After dinner, Lyric stacked the empty plates in the kitchen sink and turned on the faucet.

I walked up behind her—right behind her—breathing in the clean scent of her shampoo. She’d unlocked a door that refused to be closed. It was as stubborn as the woman who held the key.

I reached around and took a plate from her hand. “You take care of what’s important. Leo and I will take care of this.”

Her body tensed against mine, relaxing a little when she turned to face me. I hadn’t given her much room, making her ass rub my crotch as she spun around, and her breasts pressed against my chest when she stopped. She looked up at me with radiant blue eyes where a darkness lurked beneath. “The girls are all upstairs in their rooms. Me and Linc will be down here in ours.” Jealousy pricked at my skin.Me and Linc.He had her in his bed every night. He cooked dinner with her and watched her laugh as they ate it—all the things I could’ve had for years but didn’t. “I had Leo put your things down here, too.” She swallowed. “You’re across the hall from us.”

I didn’t ask what that meant. I didn’t press her for more. “Good night, sweet Lyric,” I said as I stepped away and let her go.

“Jesus, man. If you don’t fuck her, I will,” Leo’s voice boomed beside me once Lyric was out of the kitchen.

I rinsed the plate underneath the hot water, not sparing him a glance. “Keep talking like that and you won’t be fucking anyone, anytime soon.”

He laughed, then helped me finish the dishes—in silence.

* * *

I showered and slipped into a pair of black lounge pants, no shirt, no underwear. I made Leo sleep on the sofa because there was no way that horny motherfucker was staying in the same bed with me. Christ only knew what he dreamed about, and with my past, I’d probably cut his dick off if I woke up with it pressed against my ass.

The house was quiet and dark, but my mind was screaming. How the fuck was I supposed to sleep knowing Lyric was thirty feet away? After what she’d said earlier tonight?

Finally, I tossed the comforter back and climbed out of bed. I needed something—water, whiskey, fresh air—anything to help settle my thoughts.

Outside of my room, a soft moan floated from across the hall. My eyes darted to the way the door was slightly cracked, as if it was intentional, an invitation. My pulse skyrocketed, my heart like a piston. I’d sliced men open with butter knives. I’d fucked a prison guard to keep from being whipped to death. I’d been beaten within breaths of my life. I’d learned the woman I’d loved my whole life was more of a monster than I could ever be. Every single one of those things had changed me, but deep in the pit of my soul, I knew nothing could ever change me the way opening this door would.

I did it anyway. I pressed my palm to the wooden door and slowly eased it open.

Lyric was on her back, her hands fisted in the covers as her back arched up off the bed. Lincoln was between her thighs. I was barely breathing as I took careful steps into the room. Thoughtless, on instinct. Nothing mattered but this. Now.

I stood over them and watched, hypnotized by the way her lips parted and her breath left her lungs in short, labored pants. Her hair was a wild mess around her. Every curve of her body, every inch of exposed flesh stole my breath and lit a fire in my veins. I’d seen her naked before, but this…Fuck. I’d never seen her like this. Even that night at the palace she still wore the dress. The one time I fucked her, I was so focused on getting us both through it that I didn’t take the time to drink her in, to relish her. Besides, she was just a girl then. She was a woman now.

Her skin glistened with a sheen of sweat between her breasts and across her stomach. Her nipples were two hard peaks begging for my mouth, for my teeth, for my fingers to twist and pull them.

Her hands moved to his hair, tangling in the dark curls. The sight of it made my chest ache. That should be me. It should bemymouth on her cunt,mytongue covered in her taste. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous, that it didn’t tear me apart seeing her writhe for him, hearing her pant for him. But something else, something primal, gnawed at the darkness inside me. Seeing her like this, uninhibited and raw, unleashed a beast, hellbent on ravaging, on taking, and marking and claiming.

He was pleasing her.

I wanted to please herbetter.

I’d watched people fuck before. It was part of many of our rituals. It was always clinical. Habitual. But this… this made me feel unhinged. Wild. Desperate.

Needy.

I kneeled down beside them, then gripped her chin between my fingers. “Look at me.”

Lincoln lifted his eyes and snarled.Not you, asshole. Her.

Her pretty eyes met mine and I unraveled. I leaned my forehead against hers and closed my eyes, breathing her in. When I opened them again, she was still staring at me—innocent… but not. I licked across her bottom lip, and she let out a soft moan.

“Who is that for? Me? Or him?” My mouth hovered over hers, our lips barely touching.

“Both.”

Lincoln growled against her pussy.

I forced her mouth open with mine, desperate to taste some part of her. My hand cupped her cheek, then slid into her hair, pulling her deeper into me. My tongue stroked over hers, gently, carefully. Worshipfully, just like I’d promised. I kissed her like this kiss was the last one we’d ever share. And maybe it was. Then she made this sound—part whimper, part moan. Pure heaven. It was the kind of sound that carried secrets and promises. The kind of sound that would bring men like me to their knees just to be able to hear it again.

With a low groan, I made myself tear my lips from hers.

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